Lagos court sentences former Baale of Shangisha to 15 years

A Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, has sentenced dethroned Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Mutiu Ogundare, to fifteen years imprisonment for faking his own kidnap.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi had on June 15 convicted Mr Ogundare and one Opeyemi Mohammed on a three-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and fake kidnapping. But, the Court had discharged and acquitted the third defendant, who is Mr Ogundare’s wife, Abolanle, on the ground that she had no link to the offences.

Also at the last adjournment, the first defense counsel, Olanrewaju Ajanaku on behalf of the lead defense counsel, Dr. Muiz Banire, in his allocutus (plea for leniency) asked the court to temper Justice with mercy.

Mr Ajanaku had added that the convict, who did not think through his action when he committed the offences, had now turned a new leaf.

The second defence counsel, Dr. Olayinka Owoeye, also in his allocutus had pleaded for a light sentence, declaring that the convict had learnt his lessons.

The state prosecutor, Jubril Kareem, in his legal arguments, had urged the court to apply the provisions of law and sentence the convict.

On Tuesday, Justice Oshodi sentenced both men to a 10-year jail term for count one without an option of fine; one-year imprisonment for count two with an option of N200,000 fine and count three – 15 years, without an option of fine.

In the court’s sentencing, “I have considered the allocutus of the defence counsels. However, it is in the view of this court that the defendants showed no remorse during the trial.

“In fact, the first defendant tried to buy his way out of the court. A lesson has to be taught to serve as a deterrent to others.”

“The defendants are hereby sentenced to 10 years for count one without an option of fine, one year for count two with an option of N200,000 and 15 years for count three without an option of fine.

“The sentencing shall run concurrently from the day they had been arrested,”

The prosecution said Mr Ogundare put himself forward to be kidnapped for the purpose of causing a breach of public peace, adding that his brother, Opeyemi Mohammed, and wife aided him in the crime.

The kidnap took place on July 5, 2017, but Mr Ogundare later confessed to security services that he staged the kidnap to blackmail the state government.

That same month, former governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, had ordered his removal as the Baale of Shangisha.